1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to gaming machines. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing players using gaming machines more comfort through the incorporation of footrests that provide multiple sitting positions and allow placement at higher levels than currently available footrests.
2. The Prior Art
Las Vegas style casino environments having gaming machines where a player sits in front of a gaming machine to play are well known. Similar types of gaming machines with similar seating arrangements, from the perspective of the physical lay-out of the gaming cabinets, are also found in smaller gambling locations, including bingo halls and the like. Regardless of the establishment size or game types being played, the comfort issues facing a long-playing player are the same.
A long-playing player needs to move or adjust themselves as they continue to play. If a comfortable position cannot be found, the player will end play and move on. A significant part of a player""s comfort, and the player""s ability to shift positions in order to continue to play in comfort, is found in the location of a player""s feet. If the footrest positions are different enough, shifting foot positions using different footrest positions will both cause and enable a player to shift their entire seating position, helping long-term comfort and play. Thus, the more footrest positions a player can make use, the longer a player can make use of a single machine.
Currently, footrests are provided in a few general implementations. The most common footrests are found as part of the chair in front of the gaming machine. One example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. D384,212, which shows a casino chair with a built-in solid-base footrest. Another common implementation uses footrails attached to the chair, the footrails usable as a footrest. One example of a footrail and chair assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. D261,575.
Typically, footrests are not part of the gaming machine itself. FIG. 1 shows a typical upright gaming machine, including a prior art base. A typical upright gaming machine includes an advertising or come-on section 100, a game display area 102, a pull handle 106, a player control area 104 typically populated with buttons but perhaps including other input devices, and a base cabinet 108. Base cabinet 108""s primary purpose is to support the upright gaming machine at the desired height. Because gaming machines are typically arranged in casinos against a wall or back-to-back as well as side-to-side, base cabinets typically have solid backs and sides. Some base cabinets have solid fronts; some provide a hinged, lockable door as part of front panel 110. This space may be used by casino personnel for the storage of various maintenance items or player consumables (i.e., individually packaged hand wipes). In all cases, there is no place for a player""s feet on the base cabinet. Examples of prior art game cabinets have solid front panels or a door are sold by Slot Machines USA, a company that makes base cabinets. Their address is: Slot Machines USA, 300 Gargrave Rd., West Carrollton, Ohio, 45449.
Prior art footrests not co-located with a chair are limited in location to the front of the gaming machine at or near floor level. These may be in the form of a footrail that is installed in front of several gaming machines (a bank of machines), or, occasionally, footrails attached to each gaming machine. An example of a footrail attached to an individual gaming machine is shown in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,597.
An example of a board or flat surface used to replace a footrail is shown in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. D416,054. The flat board is designed to serve the same function as a footrail, only more cheaply. The player puts their feet up against the edge of the board, where the edge of the board then acts like the rail in a footrail.
Finally, one occasionally finds footrests similar to that shown in U.S. Pat. No. D280,052 placed in front of gaming machines for use by players.
These footrests all have similar drawbacks. Any footrest that is not part of a chair is placed in front of the gaming machine cabinet or base cabinet, at or near floor level, or occasionally mounted to a gaming machine at or near floor level. This provides limited foot placement options. As a result, players are confronted with a very limited set of options when playing at a gaming machine: use a footrest on or near the floor, or don""t use one at all.
There is a need for footrests that provide more variability in location, including allowing additional height, than is currently known in the gaming machine furniture art. In addition, there is a need for additional footrests that are easy to install and maintain and do not add extra items to be moved by a floor cleaning crew.
The present invention is a footrest assembly designed for use with gaming machines (installed on gaming machine cabinetry) that provides a neat appearance, enhanced foot placement choices, and especially provides alternative foot placement choices that are higher than are currently available. This is accomplished in several ways using different embodiments of the present invention. Further, the present invention provides for a variety of footrest assemblies that span a wide pricing range, allowing casinos the choice of upgrading using fairly inexpensive footrest assemblies that can retrofit existing gaming cabinetry, especially base cabinets, to further providing upscale and sophisticated multi-positional and adjustable footrest assemblies that can be used to either upgrade existing gaming cabinetry, or can be purchased built into new gaming cabinetry.
In a preferred embodiment, the disclosed footrest assemblies are designed to fit either at or near the top of a base cabinet and along its sides, or, along the sides of an existing gaming machine cabinet near the top of the lower cabinetry. The present invention may further replace an existing bolster unit.
Preferred embodiment fixed position footrest assemblies are set at or near the top of a base cabinet or near the top of the built-in lower cabinet of a single unit game machine cabinets, and are either a single unit or two individual units (other configurations may be used). The foot resting areas are part of a molding that is either substantially half-round in shape and construction, with the footrest area on the upper portions of the half-round, or are wedge-shaped, with the footrest area being a substantially flat section of the wedge.
Preferred embodiments also include multi-positional fixed position footrests, where a series of moldings similar to the individual moldings are supplied, and adjustable footrest assemblies, where the position of an individual footrest may be adjusted by a player.
The footrest assemblies of the present invention further allows the use of standard floor cleaning equipment up the bottom of the gaming cabinetry, decreasing special cleaning tasks and promoting general cleanliness when compared to separate footrests, or footrests that attached to furniture but that intrudes substantially into the space in front of the door or cabinet where it is used.